Gas-meter.



PATENTBD JAN. 14, 1908. T., G. B. E W. J. HBNNING. GAS METER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13.1907. 2 SHBBTS SHEET l.

PATENTBD JAN. 14, 1908. T., C. E. & W. J. HENNING,

GAS METER.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.1s.19o7.

Z SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Unia a srnfrns FICE.

IIIOMAS HENNING, CHARLES E. HENNING, AND WILLIAM J. HENNIN G, OF PASADENA,

i CALIFORNIA.

GAS-METER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented'J an. 14:, 1908.

I Application filed March 13. 1907. Serial No. 362236.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, THOMAS HENNrNG, a subject of the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and CHARLES E. HENNING and WILLIAM J. HENNING, citizens of the United States, residing at Pasadena, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Gas-Meters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to type wherein a plurality o diaphragms actuated by the gas pressure operate sequentially on crank means to producemotion of the dial and valve means are provided controlled by such motion to give the successive operation of the dia hragms.

An object o this invention is to improve the general construction of such meters with a view to facilitating the construction7 assemblage and adjustment thereof.

A further object of the invention is to r0- vide improved means for seeming in p ace the movable'. diaphragm of the pressure chambers. Y

Another object of the invention is to providef'niproved means for adjusting the operating connection to the crank shaft.

' Another object of the invention is to -provide means for laccurately adjusting the crank or tangent devices for connecting-motion tothe valve means.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved-means for securing the dial mechanism in place in such manner that it can readily be removed and replaced.

' In the accompanying drawings :'#Figure 1 is a horizontal section of the meter on the line :c1-acl in Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on line 2-ac2 in Fig. 3. vertical section on line ac3-? in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a verticalsection on line, L-* in Fig. 1. Fig.

with the dialin place. lihg. 6 is a section of an adjustable crank or tangent means for operating the valve for the pressure operated means. Fig. 7 is an axial section of the valve.

The meter comprises a case 1 formed preferably as a cylindrical shell of sheet metal having itsA ends closed by removable cap-i "`ks or plates 2. The space within the shell '.s divided into three pressure chambers by two diaphragm members 3, 4, which are conas meters of the 5 is a front elevation of the dial receivingl prtion of the case,

nected to the walls of the case by flexible fabric means indicated at 5 fastened to said dialphragms and detachably secured to the wa the peripheral portions of said iiexible means into grooves 7 inthe case. Said expansion -rings are split so that, when they are brought into osition, they can be expandedl to bmd the liexible means firmly in place and can then be secured by solder indicated at 8.

A bail or swinging member 11 is pivoted at each side of the ease and engages within slotted lugs 13 on the diaphragm to guide the diaphragm in its movement, so that it will have a parallel in and out motion. f

A shaft 9 is journaled in bearing 10 in the case and is connectedto the respective dia-v phragms 3, 4 by connecting means herein-y after described.' An arm 12 is pivoted at each side of the case and extends inwardly to the mid width of the case and then upwardly-to form a pivot portion whichr is pivoted iii brackets 14 on the outer side of the corresponding diaphragm. A link 15 is piv- Otegi. on" such pivot portion of one of said arms and is ivotally connected at its other end to a cran 16 on the shaft9 aforesaid. A link 17 is similarly pivoted on the pivot portion of the other arm 12 and is pivoted at its other end to a block 18 slidably mounted in a guide 19 formed inan arm 2O rigidly connected tothe said crank 16. A screw 21 working in said arm 2Q serves to adjust said block in either direction in said guide. The end of said screw is provided with operating means such as a iiattened portion 22, and holes 23 are provided in opposite sides of the case, saifd holes being normally closed -by plugs 24, and being so located 'that when the said plugs are removed the said adjusting meansis directly in the line of vision between the two holes and can be both inspected and /adjusted from the outside of the case without o ening up the case 'or removing the dia'- p rag-ms, a tool indicated in dotted lines at -25 being inserted to turn the screw 2l..

A sheet metal tubular case portion 27 eX- tends upwardly from the top of the case 1 and is formed with a flat floor 28 and with a central valve seat portion 29 on the upper surface of which travels the valve 30, -said valve being formed as a disk. An inlet pipe' 26 leads downwardly alongsidethesefextension 27, and communicates with a riser of the case by expansion rings 6 pressingv entende np above-.the door end openn'into theehamher above the valve, so ftnnt'tlic gas passing in through this inlet impimms downwardly on the verve. Said valve t neet portion ."Qie formed with a central por #tion 3 1 andfwith' three` outer openings 32,

'f3- arranged eroun'd the central'opening. "lllefccntral opening communicates-by a 'duct 735 to an outlet pipeortnbe 36 and'jtwo of the Iter openings communicate bydnct, 37 .with

v,rsefprestore chambers t opposite of thecase.` The remaining'outer o erang'e .communicates directly with. the mi dlefpree v vnircchainberl FVhe crank shaft is n .ovided et its u. i er varv the rotating or angular position ,Y re cranlr on the streit end thereb' f adjust 'the operation 'of thcnieter. To e 'ect this 2o .adjustment 'eaid crank is` made in'two. por V tiene the lower portionv 40 being rigidly eeM aforom onthe shat Q by a set screw 41, and

jtbrcnoed yripper iend or? i snait andbeing ,ciernped in any deelrefflf rotative position, certain lim. i, by menne cfa set screw "A 'ecrevving there .ir-ongle. ond engaging the upperporti on l2 soiree/inn on the screwr. member i2 has a pin engaging in a valve diei; 30,5l Said valve diei; is preferably if glans and is protected, atits outer portion byy plate d? otmetal crimped or cemented f thereon;l Thesoclret'll is in a hub protected [bye collar 46 of metal.l .'yAt the front cithe upper portionor eX- ytension' 27 of the lease 1s provided a rec-l tangular seat or box 89 for receiving the diei, 4having ascrew socket to receive a screw plug 40" withnn inwardly extending bracket e9 v '1c' yirigashaft orotetablygnounted therein heving a crank 'with an lopening 5 2` it yover a nib 53 on'thevalve disk 3G.. A ,v vor'm Seen said crank 51 on said shaft 50 is secured thereto by adete'chable pin 55 and -engegee aiworm 56 on a shaft 57 which er.- thr'oughthe plug 48 linto the dial reits outer end 'with a korf or notch 58, this jpoiftionof the elicit 57 being located Within a s'eatkportion 59 in the dial receiving box. -Thedielg60 consists of any usual 'counter 'wheellineans, the lowest Wheel ofthe series having; an 4entension 6i. projecting' rear- 'Wardly from the oase of the dial and formed so netoengitge with the notch in the end of `the elicit/57 aforesaid'when the dial is pushed .rear-ivordy in the case, thereby o 'connecting said shaft With the dia mechanioni; To guide thev dial' to ropor position l y f when thus pushed into the diag receiving boer, said box is provided With guides 63 engaging ways 6ft on the dial. The top of the upper case' member 27 iaclosed by a csp plate. e5 Qvljlie l outer case is preferably formed-oi' i. with crank or tenget which is adineti er surface of said cranl portion 40. Thel trai hole or socket t5 in the bottomy of pering by theseal of the closure plate 155l at.'

.not

ving box., said shaft 57 being provided at einem doorl 68. `paid cover box 67 is fastened by a screw 69. A glass plate 70 is placed in 75 box- 39 being-su ported by corner-pms ,71 end heldin by t cover box 67.' 1 Thegas enters through passage 26v and posses upward through vthe-pasea e 38. into the valve chamber, beingthus de ivered to the upper part'of thechamber in an upward direction so that it cornes down on top of the valve and there is no tendencvto lift the valve by the gcs iiow. From this valve, it passes down through one ofthe ports, say-34, to say the middle pressure chamber in the meter, thecrank connections to the shaft 9 being such that in .this position in Fig. 1

`there is a differential action. on the shaft,

tending to rotatethe shaft, and suchrota 90 tion the valve is shifted successively to the dtlerent ports, opening communication to .the successive pressure chambers so as to :always produce a rotative force,l on the shaft.

The resulting rotation is communicated to the dial through the meml'oersA 54,; 57, etc. lt will be noted that the' fastening screw 69 for the dial cover is ori/the inside of the case, so that it is protected or sealed against tamthe top of the case. 'Saidclosure plate being' generally soldered. in placeit is therefore 1possible for anyone to tamper with the .l ..105 1. VIn' a gas meter, the combination With a vcylindrical case, of the diaphragm therein provided with a flexible portion extending to the Wall of the case, said Wallha'ving any annular' groove to receive said iiexible portion, in combinationwith a clamping rin extending'within saidiexible portion an pressing the same outwardly into the groove.

2. ln a gas meter, the combination With a case, of zofiov'able diaphragme therein provided with exible portionsextending to the" Walls of the case, and aswinging member pivoted on the Wells'of the Acase atop osito sides and extending across the case' an having pivotal connection to the diaphragme, to

guide the same in itsA movement.

' In e gas meter, the combination with a 'ccseend the removable diaphragme, of a shalt' rotatably mounted lin the ,case and having a crank, a link connection from one diaphragm to said crank, an arm rigidly carf. Y .riedv by said crank, a member adjustable on .said arm, and alink. connection fromsad member to the other diaphragm, Ithe clase.

having diainetrically opposite openings in 13(l line with one position of said adjustable means, and removable means for closing said openings.

4. In a gas meter, the combination with the operating crank shaft and the rotary valve member, of an adjustable crank means conneeting said shaft and member and eomprising two angularlyadjustable members, one connected to the crank shaft and the other having pivotal connection with the valve member.

5. In a gas meter, the combination with the gas pressure operated shaft, provided ywith an adjustable crank, a rotary valve operated bythe crank, another shaft having crank connection to the valve member to be operated thereby, a worm and detachable means for securing it .to its shaft, and a dial operati-ng worm wheel engaging said worm.

6. In a gas meter, a rotary valve member formed. of a glass disk having a flat lower face, the said disk being protected by sheet metal crimped over the outer portion of the top thereof.

7. In a gas meter, a rotary valve member formed of a glass disk having a latlower face, the said diskbeing protected by sheet metal crimped over the outer portion of the top thereof, and havin-g a hub inthe central portion of its bottom formed with a crank pin receiving socket and protected by a metal collar around said hub.

8. In gas meter, a case formed with a dial receiving box portion, a cover box sliding and'fitting over said box portion and a glass plate in the front of the box portion and held in by the cover box, fastening means inside of the case engaging with the cover box to hold it in place, the case being formed with a sealed closure, normally preventing access to the seid fastening means.

In testimony whereof', we have hereunto set our hand at Los Angeles, California, this 2nd day of March, 1907.

THOMAS IIENNING. ,CHARLES E. HENNING. WILLIAM J. HENNING. In presence ef- An'rnun P. K-vion'r, FRANK L. AjG'lmnAM. 

